Maid with Golden Hair
by E for Endurance
Summary: Artemis is in the cave and muddling over a certain member of the team. And he shows up... What will happen now? Changing the rating to T for safety.
1. Playing Hairdresser

**Artemis Tai Crock-Nyugen  
>Artemis Crock<br>****AKA ARTEMIS**

It was only two days after the simulation and Batman had rooms made for all the kids. He wanted them all at the cave so he could observe them. After "therapy" with Black Canary, he was unconvinced that they were "Okay" or "Peachy". All the teens would stay at the cave this week, even from school to Artemis' anger.

She didn't like being told what to do.

After her session with Black Canary, Artemis heard how Wally had reacted when she died. Or at least, seemed to die. She didn't know _why_ he bothered her so much. He so specifically, compared to the others. After all, M'gann put her in a coma then refused to speak to her for days. She should be mad at M'gann, but she wasn't and she let it go rather easily.

The others were left mad, angry and scared at the event. They called out her name every time she left the room more than five minutes. She didn't mind this either. They all had just lost somebody important to them being family members or mentors and then it became _reality_ when she had died. So, in a way, everyone became closer.

She picked up the hair brush from her desk and a thin blue hair tie- formally thick but stretched from over use.

So, why was she bothered by what Wally did?

He screamed that he would kill every last alien because he was- _angry she died_. He was always the one who had morals of their group. He always incapacitated the villains they caught. He was the person who made the trip to the _Injustice League_ seem like no big deal by telling stupid jokes or acting dumb or just being unaware. Yet, he was uncharacteristically violent (he got mad, but sulky or reluctant) and smashed parts of the Bio-Ship.

Why did he act like this? With _her?_ She was Roy's replacement. The one hiding a secret. The girl always making fun of Wally, picking fights, hitting him in the head.

And why was she continuously thinking about _him?_ He was annoying as HELL. He always had a comment, or a reference. Or hit on a girl. Even _Black Canary_ for cryin' out loud, because Robin had mentioned it and she was at least ten or twelve years older _and dating Green Arrow, her Mentor._ Open like a book, honest Wally, yet he threw insults back at her all the _TIME_.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't help him during a mission. Or that they couldn't get along. They did small things for each other, like the time that she gave him a rebreathe-r. Or the time he could have been playing a video game and chose to help her with her math for the big midterm. For four hours straight. And he clearly knew the stuff and didn't mock her more than once.

So, when Black Canary brought up she was most worried about Wally, it bugged her even more. She sighed, pulling her blond hair back, ready to form it into her ponytail.

"Leave it down for one night, Rapunzel."

She turned around. There was the source of her confusion.

The red haired speed _demon_ himself-Wally.

"Gets in my way." She said nonchalant-ly. She then continued to pull it into a ponytail, but it snapped. The same dollar store ponytail holder that she'd used for three months, through missions and school and _god else_, it was always there. _Just like her arrows and her quiver and-. s_he ripped out with a bunch of hairs attached. She tensed up, took a breath and Wally cringed slightly.

"Give it here." He said gently, holding out a hand for her hair-tie.

She stared at him and passed it to her.

He took it gently, like it might explode. Wally took the broken hair tie and put it in his blue denim jean pockets. He held his hands in front of him in a sign of "peace", taking the top layer of her thick, blond hair and pulled it behind her head, stepping behind her. She then felt light tugging on her scalp from behind.

Artemis hated people being behind her. She hated the feeling of going into something blind, due to her experiences when she was young. Despite every instinct telling her to smack him or to run, she let him finish. He could be really gentle when he wasn't being silly or blundering around.

The hands released and Artemis' hands went to her head. Without her seeing, he had taken the bobby-pins from inside her desk and pinned her hair behind her head, creating a circlet of hair. She went to the mirror and looked critically at herself. She actually liked this look. It made her look like she had spent time on her hair, instead of just throwing it together. She just didn't like wasting her valuable time on something trivial like her hair. It was a distraction. It would get in her way.

"Thank-" She noticed the speedster had left the room. Probably to eat. She smoothed her hair and walked into the hallway.

*I dedicate this story to Karen-Lynne. She helped me to be tough like Artemis. She also liked to do my hair like this. Rest In Peace.*


	2. Out of character

Artemis walked past the bedrooms of the others to the communal area. Conner was staring at the television, yet not absorbing anything. M'gann and Kaldur were mysteriously absent. Which left the other two main members of the team talking in low voices;

"I'm fine. I'm just-not that hungry."

"Wally. I know you. You aren't eating because you're upset."

"Rob, puh-lease."

"Look! Cheese!"

Artemis followed the noise to the kitchen. True to the sound of the conversation, Robin was dangling a plate of nachos in front of Wally. This reminded her of when Captain Marvel had played waiter to Wally and gone through four bags of nachos, two bars of cheese and a liter of pineapple juice in one sitting.

But she never would have guessed Robin was _convincing _convince Wally to eat. And failing.

"Common dude. Let's go!"

"Go where?" Artemis asked, walking into sight.

"Artemis, did you-_ do your hair_?" Asked Conner, who at some point had come into the kitchen from the other side. Was that a complementary tone she heard? He was smart and conservative, but other than that, he was usually moody, silent or _I'M-GONNA-LOOSE-IT!_

Actually that wasn't really fair. Unlike Conner, who was pretty much a permanent "Cave person" by default, Artemis would have been home right now, working on her arrows, sparing in a gym or just watching T.V. Her mother, her few high school friends and the Team kept her in the world. Conner had very few friends and not even a parent to help him, yet he was adjusting at a rapid pace to a world he'd known for such a short time. He had even added her on Facebook.

Unfortunately, he as well was acting different after the simulation. They all were. M'gann and Artemis staying in their rooms, Kaldur in "lock down mode", Conner was more subdued than angry, Robin was anxious to leave the cave and Wally not eating.

_"Poor boys" _a sympathetic voice in her mind voiced.

She shook the thought away and replied "Um…yeah. Well, Wally did actually."

Artemis wouldn't have even have to look to know that everyone was now staring at Wally.

"What?" Wally asked.

"We didn't say anything." Robin said coyly, smiling like an idiot.

"Shut it. Don't act like a _d-"_

"K.F!"

"What?" Conner asked confused.

"Never mind!" The three teens yelled to the clone, faces flushed.

Wally smiled, but it wasn't the same smile she knew. It wasn't the flirty smile directed at _every hot or pretty girl besides freakin' ZATANNA._ It wasn't a jokey smile. It was unfamiliar. It was like a stranger had taken Wally, _their Wally_, giving them a photo copy version.

It said "I might be okay, but I'm not fine- at all" (1).

Out of nowhere, Robin jumped- no _sprang-_on Wally's back, legs wrapped around his waist, holding tightly onto Wally's upper body with his left arm while his right hand held a nacho.

"DUDE!" Wally struggled trying to shake off his friend.

"Wally. Eat the nacho."

"I'm not hungry man. You're making me mad." Wally twisted and writhed.

Artemis and Conner watched as Robin tried to shove the nacho into his face while Wally whined. The acrobat was like a snake around a deer, but ironically trying to help.

"Wallace Rudolf West."

"Don't make me say _your _name, _Robbie-poo_ (2)." Wally's jerking was becoming less springy , becoming shorter and more concentrated.

_Robbie-Poo?_

Robin, seeing the confused, awkward laughing faces of his friends, mumbled:

_"Really Wally? Really?"_

"Get OFF OF ME." Wally squeezed his eyes shut and backed into a wall. Hard. Robin hugged Wally tight.

"Come on Wally. Just eat the damn nacho." Artemis sighed. She wasn't annoyed, rather just wanting Wally to act normal again.

"That hurt." Robin said, half sarcastically.

"Robin, I think you should get off." Conner said quietly.

"What?"

**_THUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!_**

Yes, I'm doing a cliff hanger. I wasn't planning on making this longer. The first chapter was origionally supposed to support a different, longer story that is yet to be published. But hell, I'm going to make a BUNCH of stories at different times. I'm on bed rest today so I'm going to update the story!

(1) I don't own this song, but I've been listening to this song a lot for some reason.

(2) I also don't own Teen-Titans. Kitten was damn annoying.


	3. The gift Artemis' can't return

Chapter 3

Artemis heard a loud **THUDDDDD **coming from the other side of the wall.

"Come on." Conner had already ran ahead, Robin jumping over him, and Artemis ran behind the two. _Perfect way to spend a Friday night._

"Well, Wally. I think I have something to take back. You can vibrate through walls." Robin smirked. He and Conner took an arm and helped Wally off the ground.

"Ow-w-w-w-w-w-w-w." Wally's voice warbled. "My head hurts."

"Dude. You vibrated. Through a wall. And you aren't bleeding." Robin said, though it came out like a question that he needed confirmation with.

"Yeah. I think it did." He looked around. He was surrounded by pieces of charred wood, floating paper, glass and other debris. "Hurts so good." He mumbled, rubbing his head.

"You also destroyed the table. And the remote." Conner picked up the tiny remains of the cordless technology.

Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose and offered Wally a hand. He flinched for a second and then took her hand. Robin put his tiny body under Wally's armpit and the two of them help up the speedster.

"Thanks." He muttered. He pushed himself off of Robin and away from Artemis and started walking to the couch. Just as Artemis had started to quip: "Nice going Kid-" then Wally fell through the couch.

"HEY! ROBIN! NOT COOL! Putthecouchback!" Wally yelled, not angrily, but in his usually excited manor.

"Um…Wally." Conner piped up. "He didn't move the couch. It's still there. You went _through_ the couch."

Wally stood up and walked out of it. "No way." He shook his hands in front of his body, vibrating ever so slightly.

"Is everything okay?" M'gann's voice drifted from her room. Artemis turned to the green skinned girl. She looked skinnier and somewhat frail. "I wasn't intruding, but I felt you- Wally- in my head." She trailed off. She looked at the situation. "Wally, you're shaking."

"M'gann, call Flash." Robin told her, keeping his voice steady, but not calm. Thankfully, she got the hint and floated out of the room.

"Wait. What?" Wally stuttered.

"Just- take a breath Wally. Artemis, can you keep an eye on him while I fill in Batman and Flash."

"Why Batman?" Conner asked.

"Cause Batman- he just- it's probably best that Batman knows." Robin looked and sounded uncomfortable. Artemis stifled a laugh. Batman just _had_ to know everything. Because…he's Batman. He walked out of the room.

"Are you okay, Wally?" Conner asked. The boy was pale, looking around confusedly. He was standing in the middle of the living room.

"I just feel a little weird." Wally muttered. He sat down suddenly, hard on the ground.

"Wally?" Artemis asked loudly. "KALDUR! Get out here!"

Kaldur, it seemed, didn't waste a second of time a _BAM_ of a door being kicked down and Kaldur kneeling next to Wally, Artemis and Conner. Conner laid Wally down on the floor gently.

"Con- Arte, Kaldur: I'm o- I'm decent." He smiled sheepishly, before letting off a series of small convulsions.

"Black Canary is coming." Robin ran back. "Oh crud."

Artemis took hold of Wally's wrist. "Wally, just try to keep calm, okay."

"Thanks. Only problem is, I AM CALM."

"Artemis, let go of W-" the warning came too late as a vibration, bigger and longer than the others moved through Artemis' arm through her body.

"NUHHHH-UHHH-UHHHH-UGHHHH!" Artemis screamed unintelligently, biting down on her lip.

Artemis and Wally hadn't noticed that her grip had moved into the form of hand holding. As a result, Wally and Artemis shook for two minutes straight while Conner tried to separate them without injuring the two humans to no avail.

"Artemis!" Wally yelled as she cried out, finally able to separate them.

She scootched back an inch. She felt okay, in fact she felt better than she had in a while, like the first time she drank coffee.

"Artemis, are you okay?" Kaldur asked slowly, kindly taking her arm.

"Yeah. I'm okay. Where's Canary?" She tried to sound non-chalant, but it came out quickly.

"Say that again?" Robin asked, eyebrow arched.

"I'm. Fine. Where's Black Canary?" She asked again.

"She's coming." M'gann answered, floating over. "Wally, you look much better."

It was true. Wally's colour had returned to his cheeks. His _real_ smile had even returned. "I'm feeling _whelmed."_ He snickered at Robin's expression.

"Dude. Not cool." Robin pursed his lips, biting back a smile. "Batman and Black Canary should be here soon. G.A. said he was coming too."

"Green Arrow?" Conner asked.

"He likes her." Artemis snickered. "He moons like a puppy every time I'm- I mean- she's over."

The rest of the team's eyes widened comically.

"What? What are you all staring at?" She asked defensively.

The speedster looked up at her. "I think I'm the only one who understood that, right?"

The others nodded.

"What are you saying? I'm talking at super-speed?" She scoffed.

Wally nodded and shuddered. "Ow."


	4. Another Flash? Are you pulling my leg?

"How?" M'gann asked.

Wally tapped his fingers on a desk. "Uncle Barry will know-"

"Great I'll call him. You two are the only ones' who really understand me right now." Artemis zipped over to the communications board.

"but he's…she's not listening is she?" Wally frowned. "MMMNH! ARTEMIS!"

"GAH! TOO SLOW!" came a yell from across the room.

"Is this your experience with our powers Wally?" Kaldur asked, taking a breath.

"Yeah." Turning to Artemis, he yelled: "He' .PLUTO!"

A loud, superfast scream with lots of words attached bellowed from the protagonist teens' mouth.

"Because he had to stop it from blowing up. Green Lantern thing. Outer space terrorists."

"Dude, why does every Green Lantern have a Flash friend? Does this mean you'll be a Green Lantern Sidekick someday?" Robin scoffed.

"Rob!" Wally stamped his foot.

"I need HELP HERE!" Artemis yelled out, running her left hand over her elbow rapidly.

"One. You'll. Get. Motion. Burn. Two. There's another speedster who can help us." He slowed down, enough to let Artemis catch onto his words but the others too.

"There's another speedster?" M'gann asked.

"Yeah, the first Flash!" Connor spoke like he was quoting a textbook. "Justice Society of America started in 1940 to help protect the Allied Forces after America entered the War."

Artemis' eyes opened and stared at him. "How-never mind. I need help!" She screeched.

Wally's voice wafted through the kitchen: "Yeah, okay, thanks Jay! Bye!"

Wally turned around to find Artemis standing in front of him, hands on her hips, her legs vibrating. "Tell me that was the "First Flash" or I'll hurt you."

Wally stood up, his hands by his side. "Yup. He's bringing pizza."

Artemis sighed.

Robin smirked.

Kaldur asked: "Pizza?"

"If Artemis has speedster powers, she's gonna need to refuel. Soon. Or…"

"Or her metabolism right?" Connor butted in from behind Wally by a few feet.

Wally's raised his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, exactly."

"I am hungry." Artemis started tapping her foot.

"Burning joules of calories will do that to a person." Robin smiled sarcastically.

"Shut up Troll." She bit, her feet going faster.

**RECOGNISED FLASH A13**

"Hello? Boy, it's been a long time since I've been here." A hearty older voice whistled with nostalgia.

"Over here Jay!" Wally called.

An older man with gray hair in a red polo shirt and a pair of blue work jeans walked in at a fast-walk, a polite friendly smile on his face.

"Hello everyone. I'm Jay Garrick, please call me Jay. Now what's-" he stopped at looked at Artemis, putting the pizza down on the undestroyed table, giving Wally an upturned eye-brow.

"Hi Jay!" Wally said. "Um: I destroyed the table, Artemis has super speed now, you've met Rob, this is Kaldur or Aqualad," he said pointing to each teenager by name "Miss Martian or Megan and Superboy or-"

"Connor." The old man smiled at him.

"You know my name?" The boy asked puzzled.

"Barry told me. We Flashes are family- Artemis, please. Take a deep breath." He turned his attention to the blond haired girl who, unintentionally, spoiled the moment by creating burn holes in the floor of the cave.

Artemis took a breath equal to one of a hummingbird.

"Slower dear. Like. You're. Trying. To blow up. A balloon." Jay took a step towards her.

Artemis tried again, this time making a slower, deeper breath. "Better." Her voice came out recognisable to the other teenagers, but alike someone on a caffeine high vs. a adrenaline rush.

"_Ohhh_ boy. I've seen this only a few times in my days. Wally, you've given her some speed."


	5. Jay to the Rescue

"How? Her physiology is all wrong!" Wally turned to his mentor's predecessor.

"How is this happening?" Artemis asked the man with a polite, yet clipped tone.

"Well, Barry and I have only done it a few times. When our bodies have the ability to take kinetic energy and manipulate it into or taking it away from other beings and objects."

"Have you had a seizure during the transfer?" Kaldur asked. "Wally was having a sort of episode before Artemis grabbed his hand."

"It's called grounding!" Artemis yelped in a form of defence from beside the pizza box, grabbing a slice of pinapple- _not that she noticed he had gotten her favourite._

"Look who's paying attention to science class." Wally stuck his tongue out, trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile of approval.

"I'm smart." She flicked her hair back behind her, giving a gentle elbow to the speedsters ribs-

-resulting in a slight blue flicker of electricity to spring from him into her.

"Back up Wally." Jay said. Wally took two cautious steps back. On his third step, he twitched again and lost his footing, slamming backwards into M'gann.

"M'gann!" Connor yelped. "Wally." He offered him a hand. With a zip and a cry, Jay zipped over and pulled Wally to the side, M'gann deposited next to Connor and everyone was sitting on the couch.

"I think it's best if we all keep distance from Wally- just for a few minutes while we figure out what's up."

**RECOGNISED BATMAN 02  
>GREEN ARROW 08<br>BLACK CANARY 13**

"Ja-Flash One? What are you doing here?" Oliver Queen, or Green Arrow, asked stepping into the Cave. Batman gave this a quick once over, seemed to shrug his shoulders and nodded at Jay.

_Must be Tuesday for Batman._ Robin sniggered over the mental link. M'gann must have left it up or had re-established it.

_Good one, Rob. Would Bats ever laugh at that? _Wally sniggered back.

_Where's Artemis?!_ Superboy asked, suddenly alarmed looking around wordlessly.

_I'm here. In the kitchen. I'm starving._

_Ahhh, not so jealous now, are we?_ Wally teased, eye brows rose.

_Jealous of you? I think you got it backwards, Flash Jr._

Wally sent a waved of apathy. _Seriously?_

"Team." Batman called the focus back. All the teenagers looked to the adult heroes.

M'gann flushed and shut down the link. For now, as she and the others always seemed to like to talk in each other's heads. Or not mind it.

"So, it seems like Wally has the ability of Speed Lending." Jay said with a light-sounding tone.

"Kinetic absorption and re-distribution. Makes sense." Batman nodded- no inclined his head.

"So, I can make speedsters?" Wally looked stupefied. Then, horrified. "No. How do we stop this?"

"Why is this so bad?" M'gann asked.

"Because the-" a four way tie started between teenage boys. Kaldur finished: "Wally's body required an intensive explosion, altering his biological chemistry. If Artemis is the test, we don't know how much she has received."

"It could hurt her." Superboy finished.

M'gann flinched. "Jay, Mr. Flash, could you undo this?"

Jay turned to her. "I'll try. To be honest, I haven't done it in a while. My wife would probably kill me if she knew I was back in the ring."

This got a smile from Green Arrow, a grin from Black Canary and an indifferent nod from Batman, whom Wally saw relax his left hand. Slightly.

"Artemis is in the kitchen." Robin said, leading the way. The collection of protagonists made a small parade into the other room.

"I feel like a pig." Artemis moaned, a tall glass of water in one hand, a banana in her other. "We're out of cereal." She warned.

Wally giggled.

"Shut it. We don't speak of this. _Ever_." Artemis hissed, trying to compose herself. "Can we solve this?" She asked.

"Yup. Wally, put your hands on Artemis."

Both teens looked at him as though he had suggested something impossible.

"Can we stop the "tension" here and just touch her." Superboy ordered.

Everyone just looked at Superboy. The boy was so innocent, yet had no idea what he said.

"Not after that!" Wally panicked. "Ja-aaaay!"

"Oh for the love of!" Artemis grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it.

"Ouch! You have strong hands." He tried not to feel the callous' in her hands.

"Take a deep breath." Jay instructed.

"Rob, put away your phone." Wally growled looking at his shoes.

"Wally, I'm offended." Robin said in a mock-hurt voice. He whispered something into Superboy's ear, who grinned and rolled his eyes.

Artemis bowed her head. "Can we not do this with everyone looking?"

"Agreed. Team, dismissed." Batman spoke frankly. "Kaldur, a word."

Kaldur nodded and the two leaders left the room, followed by a slightly grinning M'gann- having Artemis shoot her back a hard-glare, Connor walking out arms crossed and Robin looking peevish.

"Oh great. Rob's probably going to hack into LexCorp. Again." Wally grumbled under his breath.

"What?" Artemis asked.

"When he gets bored, he does things like hack into corrupt businesses, hacking and… possibly looking through security files."

Artemis blanched.

"Shit." Artemis bit her lip. "Jay, I need my hands. Is there a chance we can speed this up?"

"Okay. Wally, I need you to take a deep breath. Good. Now with the next breath, imagine a gold thread of energy pulling from Artemis into yourself. Just a thin one now. You don't want to hurt her…"


	6. Here- Wally and Artemis get married

Jay relaxed that night. He was sitting on the couch at the Cave. He told his wife he had to he was helping out Wally, of course after hearing an ear full of "don't-get-hurt-I-don't-want-to-see-you-injured-in-Russia-from-the-news-again". There was also around of "we aren't 20 anymore and I'm not that vain cheerleader. You'd better make it back to me."

_"__Gosh Joannie. You care. I'm not in the field. I'm helping Wally because Barry's in space."_

_"__Space… (hahaha), remember when it used to be you, Winky, Blinky and Noddy."_

_"__They're fun to hang out with. I miss them, but I see them, they live in the Caribbean."_

He laughed to himself in contentment. He was watching TV in the living room with Superboy. He didn't seem to mind, as Connor was very quiet and so was he.

Then Robin breezed into the room, jumped on the couch and looped himself over the light to get on top of the lights.

"Does he do that a lot?" Jay asked.

"Yeah." Connor asked. "Robin, what are you doing up there?"

Silence. But then-

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"ROOOOOOOOB! YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!"

"Oh." Jay sighed. Robin shifted slightly on the ceiling. Then pictures rain down from the ceiling.

"Wally! Run! Get the papers!" Artemis screamed.

Connor picked up a page and put it under his shirt just as a yellow, red and blue blur charged into the room, picking up all the paper, his hands filled with several pieces already.

Once Wally left the room, Connor picked up the piece of paper and looked at it.

Wally stood with Artemis, hand in hand, a security stamp at the bottom. But their outfits had changed. Wally was in an airbrushed black tuxedo with a yellow dress shirt and Artemis stood in a floor length air brushed white dress that made her look older. Wally had his eyes closed and Artemis cheeks were blushed.

Jay's outfit had been altered slightly to look as though he were wearing black jeans and an over jacket. And were those…wedding rings on the two teens fingers.

"Can I take this to Barry?" Jay asked Connor, with a homely smile. "I think this is hilarious."

"Sure." Connor handed over the picture, smiling with the older hero. "I think Green Arrow may need a copy too."

In the back of the room, Batman and Kaldur stood together quietly.

"I can see you're right." Batman nodded.

"Agreed. I think we are ready to go back to normal." Kaldur said politely and firmly.

The two parted ways, Kaldur smiling a small smile, picking up a missed copy of the "wedding" between the archer and the speedster.


End file.
